This invention relates to an apparatus for causing an explosion on one side of a bulkhead by initiating an explosion on the other side of the bulkhead and transmitting the explosive shock wave through the barrier. This is known in the aerospace industry as through-bulkhead initiation (TBI). In TBI technology it is desired to detonate an explosion on one side of a bulkhead and transmit that explosion through to other side of the bulkhead while maintaining the bulkhead structurally intact, that is without being cracked, ruptured or penetrated. Thus while an explosion is transmitted across the bulkhead, no gases, liquids or particles should be permitted to escape from one side to the other. On aerospace vehicles a TBI capability has many uses but finds its primary application in igniting the fuel contained within the fuel chamber of the rocket motor by initiating an explosion on the outside of the chamber.
Previous TBI devices use a variety of means to transmit the energy of an explosion across a bulkhead barrier. One device uses a pair of mating acceptor and donor charges to transmit the explosion. The donor charge on one side of the bulkhead is detonated by an explosive detonating cord and sends an explosive shock wave through the barrier setting off the acceptor charge on the other side. The acceptor charge in turn detonates an output explosive-charge. Two U.S. Pats. of this type are Allen, No. 3,238,876 and Webb, No. 3,209,692. While these devices have been shown to be operative, several problems have arisen in connection with their use. First, high, leak-promoting stress levels are experienced in the bulkhead area when the devices are actuated. Second, a number of small cracks in the barrier, caused by the passage of the explosive shock wave, have been observed. Third, the devices are complex and expensive to fabricate.